The Cardinals aren't sure how much time Brendan Ryan will miss as his right wrist heals, but they aren't expected to sign Felipe Lopez or trade for a shortstop. Manager Tony La Russa loves Ryan, who won the job a year ago, and has Julio Lugo available if Ryan opens the year on the DL. … The Nationals seem likely to use Chien-Ming Wang as trade bait if he bounces back. They signed him for only one season, meaning he will be an expensive five-plus...

AMERICAN LEAGUE Twins 5, Royals 4: Michael Cuddyer hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth for Minnesota. Delmon Young's three-run double gave the Twins a 4-0 lead before the Royals rallied. White Sox 5, Tigers 1: Carlos Quentin homered, Alex Rios drove in three and Freddy Garcia took a shutout into the eighth for Chicago. Detroit fell into a first-place tie with Minnesota. Angels 4, Athletics 2: Scott Kazmir pitched five scoreless innings and Robb Quinlan drove in three for Los Angeles, which...

Could the White Sox trade Javier Vazquez and Nick Swisher, their two biggest disappointments last season? According to the rumor mill at baseball's general managers meetings Tuesday, Ken Williams is actively shopping both. It also seems clear Williams would like to upgrade the Sox's speed. One insider insists that Colorado center fielder Willy Taveras is on their radar screen. Though the Rockies are not interested in Swisher or Vazquez, they would take a young...

The seeds of a grueling Red Sox season were sown on a sunny spring Saturday in Ft. Myers, Fla. Before ever making a pitch in a mid-March exhibition game against the Marlins at City of Palms Park, Josh Beckett tweaked his back, an injury that eventually landed him on the disabled list. From that moment on, continuing right through Monday's Game 4 of the AL Division Series at Fenway Park, the Red Sox were in scramble mode, trying to plug holes all over a roster decimated by injuries.

With five weeks left in the season, it's not clear what role Jason Marquis, the Cubs' Fifth Beatle, could have on a playoff roster. But it would be cruel for him to be cast aside in October for the third year in a row. ... Tampa Bay could be an especially dangerous team if it winds up as the American League's winningest team, giving it the home-field advantage for all three potential postseason series. It has a 14-1 record this year at Tropicana Field against the Angels, Red Sox and Cubs.